Andrew Garmin

I have had an Amira (with premium) and am expecting delivery of an Alexa Mini in the next few weeks, so maybe this comment should wait, but I've messed around with the Mini a few times and based on what you've said I would say stick with an Amira.

The Mini is essentially like a dslr, you need all sorts of rigging to shoot, whereas the Amira is like a Varicam or ENG camera, out of the box you just slap on a battery, lens and mic and you're good to go (fine, also a battery plate, mic mount, xlr cable, and mine came with a lens mount but Arri told me they don't). The accessories on the Mini are going to cost a good amount too, might be worth pricing both out so they're fully equipped for what you need to get a proper assessment.

The reason I have the Mini on order is for use on a gimbal and potential aerial use in the future. I don't want to make enemies with your back, but if you are comfortable with the Amira on a Steadicam I think that negates the benefits to the Alexa Mini. The ArriRaw vs ProRes I don't think is a big compromise, the value depends on what you're shooting and workflow, etc. I would be more worried about the limitations with the audio on the Mini, especially if you're doing any solo shooting that needs sound.

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